Cat Ba Island Guide: Lan Ha Bay, the National Park and Getting There

This Cat Ba island guide covers the largest island in the Ha Long Bay area, a base for kayaking in quiet Lan Ha Bay and hiking in a national park. From our Vietnam travel blog, it explains how to get there from Hanoi, what to do, where to stay, the best months, and a food stop in Hai Phong on the way.

Cat Ba is part of the Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Archipelago UNESCO World Heritage Site, but with fewer boats than Ha Long. Most visitors fly into Hanoi first; if you need a visa, apply for a Vietnam e-visa online.

Cat Ba at a glance:

Getting from Hanoi to Cat Ba

The trip from Hanoi to Cat Ba always includes a boat crossing. The most common route is a combined bus and ferry ticket via Hai Phong, which takes about four to five hours in total.

Buses leave from Hanoi's Old Quarter and bus stations and connect with ferries or the cable car across to the island. Another option is a high-speed boat from Tuan Chau near Ha Long city, useful if you are already there. Private transfers are faster and simpler for families.

Things to do on Cat Ba

Cat Ba's main activities are on the water and in the forest. Spend one day on the bay and one on land.

Kayaking in Lan Ha Bay, among limestone islands, floating farms and small beaches, is the highlight; day boats from Cat Ba harbor include kayaks. Cat Ba National Park covers much of the island, with trails to viewpoints and a chance of seeing the rare Cat Ba langur on guided trips. On land, visit Cannon Fort for views over the harbor and Hospital Cave, a wartime hospital in the rock. The Cat Co beaches near town are good for an afternoon swim.

Where to stay

Most hotels are in Cat Ba town, close to the harbor, restaurants and boats. Waterfront construction is ongoing in parts of town, so check recent reviews or choose quieter streets.

For a calmer stay, look at resorts on the beaches or homestays further inland. Some Lan Ha Bay cruises include a night on board, which adds the bay at sunset and dawn.

Best time to visit

April to June and September to October are the best times to visit Cat Ba, with warm weather and calm seas for kayaking. July and August are hot and busy with Vietnamese holidaymakers, and storms can stop boats.

December to February is cool and misty, quiet and atmospheric, but swimming is cold. Two extras help with the journey: a food stop in Hai Phong, and flying in close by.

Cat Ba island guide extras

The route to Cat Ba passes Hai Phong, a port city with its own food and airport. Both are worth using.

A food stop in Hai Phong

Hai Phong food is known across Vietnam: try banh da cua, a crab noodle soup with flat brown noodles, and the city's thin, crunchy banh mi que. A few hours in the city break the trip between Hanoi and Cat Ba.

Flying in via Cat Bi

Cat Bi airport in Hai Phong is one of the airports that accept the Vietnam e-visa, as our list of e-visa airports shows. Flights are mostly domestic, so international travelers usually connect in Ho Chi Minh City or arrive at Hanoi.

VietnamVisa-Easy.com is a private visa service operated by H2 Global Travel JSC since 2012, not a government website, and you can apply directly at evisa.gov.vn for US$25. If you would like your application checked first, start your application with us.